Pages

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Random Updates for February 2015

Goodness, it's been a while since I last updated this blog. The period after Imbolc is always kind of dormant for me, particularly since winter usually hits heaviest in Kansas City between January and March. I often feel the least witchy and inspired during this time. And you know what? That's okay! You don't have to light candles and chant and set up altars and hold rituals all the time. Sometimes life can be mundane and you can revel in it.

And that's exactly what I've been doing: Reveling in it. In the past, my husband and I have lived from one catastrophe to the next. We've had a "crisis cloud" over our heads since the start of the recession. For the past few months, things have mellowed out significantly and it has been absolutely fantastic.

I've mostly kept on the down-low, spending time with friends here and there, attending Zumba class on a regular basis and seeing family. January and February are also relatively dry months for work, so it's been nice to be able to kick back and relax without many looming deadlines, though it does mean I'm a little strapped for cash. But after prom/graduation/wedding season is just around the corner, and I'm bound to be overbooked for about three months there. I'm enjoying it while I can.

At this point, the most eventful occurrence lately has been a pesky squirrel who just won't leave our attic alone. We've tried a wide variety of harmless natural remedies and patches to no avail, and with no baby squirrels up there or any trees on our property, I can only come to the conclusion that this squirrel is an arse. It wouldn't be so bad if he weren't up in the attic scratching at the ceiling. Even more so, the attic flooring opens up in the garage where our cats' litter box is, so there's a concern that the squirrel could actually get into the house. With that in mind, we've finally resigned to letting our property management company handle it, which has resulted in our maintenance guy randomly showing up in our kitchen window. Nothing like footsteps on the roof in the middle of the day and then a cell phone jingle to scare the wits out of you!

What the hell, Greg? Get off the damn roof before I shatter another mug!

During one of our attempts to fend off the pumpkin-munching menace, my husband brought home 2 million Scoville unit hot sauce. To put that in perspective, 2 million Scoville unit hot sauce is spicier than a ghost pepper. Of course, the squirrel didn't mind one bit and munched right through it back in the attic less than an hour later. However, the next day, Aaron forgot to take the hot sauce back to work and Hermes, our white cat, brushed up against it. The minute I saw that he had an orange mark on his fur, I cut it out, soaped him up and rinsed him off. All the while, he's screaming, because the cat definitely does not like water.

But how do you ensure, even after scissors, soap and water, that a hot sauce like that is definitely gone?

Picture a strung-out, sopping wet cat screaming and attempting to get away at any cost. Now picture me licking the spot. Yes, I'm unafraid to publicly admit that I licked my own cat.

Yes, there are many jokes to be made. No, you may not make them.

The screaming stopped, he put his paw on my face and gave me the strangest look of, "excuse you," that he has literally ever given me.

But hey, at least I was certain he wasn't going to burn out his insides from it. Fur-Mama to the rescue! Needless to say, the hot sauce went back to work with my husband during his lunch break.

Currently, the roommate is sick. As someone with Multiple Autoimmune Syndrome, I've been spending a lot of my time in the spiritual room. It's not the worst way to pass the evening, but it's been interesting to be in that room for non-spiritual purposes. My husband and I spent Valentine's Day down there watching movies and eating grapes, and I've been using the opportunity to light a bunch of incense that I purchased at our local Renaissance festival last year. Honestly, it's nice to just kind of sit and relax in the room. And it's such a huge room; seems like a waste to only use it for ritual.

Before I go, I'd like to make a special plug for a local handmade jewelry shop here in Kansas City called Shimmerwyck! On one of our random outings, fellow Circle of Fountains member Kolika and I ran by their store located in the 39th Street District, and I got the most adorable pair of African porcupine quill earrings created by local jewelry designer Prism Moon Designs.

Prism Moon Designs also offers porcupine quill hair sticks topped with gemstones that I need in my life, but it'll have to wait until caricature season picks up a bit more.

Goodness. Actually, the fear of the little bugger eating my garden has stopped me from starting mine this year. I don't know if I want to put up with all the deterrents I'll need to keep him from it. I love animals as much as the next person but they can be a real nuisance at times!

I'm Marietta, a nontheistic witch mixing modernity with traditional practices. My blog focuses on my journey with my familiars and connected spirits, diving deeper into my work with the Man in Black and my psychopomp guide D. Here, I present my rituals, altars and spells as needed while exploring witchcraft theory and history.